Thor  Dog of Thunder
by vonnie836
Summary: Response to a prompt on the OhSam! comment-fic meme on LJ - AU. What if Dean got a puppy while Sam was at Stanford? How would Sam and the dog get along when the brothers are back together?
1. Chapter 1

I know it has been forever and I haven't even finished my other story - I promise I will, but real life hasn't given me a break. I took this on as a way to find inspiration and almost didn't get it finished. It is finished though and I plan to post daily, give or take a day. There are three parts to it. Hope you like it. Hugs, Vonnie

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><p><strong>Thor – Dog of Thunder<strong>

**Part 1**

He stretched his body across the bench seat, his head coming to rest on the driver's lap as a groan of contentment escaped him. He felt so lucky for having found another human after everything that had happened. He remembered his first family, Jenny and Matt. They took him in when he was only a pup, barely old enough to be away from his mother. They were really good to him, but sadly they never were able to understand him and always just smiled and laughed over what they called his 'antics'. He'd tried to warn them of the creature that was residing in the basement of their home from the moment he discovered it, but they wouldn't listen.

He never figured out why they couldn't understood that when he barked at the old chest stood in the corner behind the stairs, he was trying to tell them something was seriously wrong. Sure, they checked the chest, but to their eyes it appeared empty and so they just called him silly and laughed at him and later even scolded him for making such a racket.

That night the creature awoke and killed Matt first, sucking his life force out of him until he was all shriveled up. Jenny tried to get away, but the entity was faster and overtook her, repeating what it did to Matt to her also.

He'd tried to save them, he really had, but there was nothing he could latch his jaws on to, the creature was ethereal and he still was just a pup after all, not even half grown at the time. He attacked anyway, but found he suddenly was unable to move and all of his life force was flowing out of him. Next thing he knew was the door being broken down and a loud blasting sound coinciding with the apparition disappearing into nothingness. Then he was being picked up, carried out and laid down in the soft grass, while a deep, very pleasant sounding voice told him to wait, he would be right back, he just had to finish this.

By the time the person who the voice had belonged to came back, he was feeling a lot better, yet the man still picked him up, put him in his car and took him to what the human called his motel room. And that was the beginning of his new life, completely different, but oh so much more fun.

After a good night's sleep he found out that the human who saved him was Dean Winchester and the thing that had killed Matt and Jenny was something called a wraith. Dean hunted creatures like this and made sure they couldn't do more damage. He was really nice and even said he was sorry that he wasn't able to save his masters, but that he would make sure he would find a nice home for him. And then he told him about someone named Bobby Singer, who owned a junk yard and always could use a fine watchdog like him. He remembered sitting up straight at the words and although he was very sad over losing his family, he was excited about the prospect of not having to be alone.

Things turned out differently though, as by the time they got to this Bobby, which was three weeks later in human time, Dean decided that he was not going to leave him there and he couldn't say he was a bit disappointed by it.

"Thor…"

Startled by a voice that didn't belong to his master, but was nonetheless familiar, the dog jumped up. So caught up in his memories, he'd neither noticed the car pulling over and coming to a stop, nor the passenger side door opening.

'Fine watchdog I am!' He thought with regret, not just over missing the changes, but also over seeing Sam, Dean's brother, grinning at him.

The younger man's large hand reached out for him and petted his head, "Gotta move in the back now boy, there isn't enough room for the both of us."

'Yep, that's why you shouldn't be here!" He thought to himself, wishing not for the first time that he could make his thoughts known. He didn't want to obey, not this guy, yet after looking over to Dean and seeing his finger pointing towards the back, he decided he better do what he was told. Man, he just couldn't stand the kid and the worst was that Sam didn't seem to get that he didn't like him.

SN~SN~SN~SN~SN

Sam Winchester waited for the large Boxer mix to get in the back, before he scooted into the passenger seat and closed the door. Even now, several weeks after being back with Dean, he marveled over the fact that his brother owned a dog now. From the moment he met 'Thor', he had been excited; he'd always wanted a dog, but because of their lifestyle their dad had never allowed him to have one. That didn't mean that he didn't take strays in on several occasions, just to have to drop them off at the next shelter. Dean on the other hand, never seemed to have the desire to own a pet, although he was always supportive of the younger brother sneaking in another hurt or hungry pup.

Being back with his brother, even if the circumstances that led to this were tragic, was already awesome, but having a dog seemed like a special bonus. Sam liked him immediately. Short, sand-colored fur only interrupted by a little white across his chest and on the tips of his paws and the general built of his body left no doubt of at least two of his ancestors – boxer and yellow lab. If there was any more to him, it wasn't immediately obvious to the younger Winchester. He was definitely a beautiful specimen, who got the best of all of the breeds. He was very active and playful, yet it was also clear that Dean had trained him well, as the mutt was able to sit still and be quiet at a second's notice.

Sam could tell that Thor, as Dean had named him, was a little reluctant to make friends with him, even now after several weeks, yet he wasn't about to give up. Thor might be his brother's dog, but Sam still felt he shared at least part of the ownership and a lot of the responsibility for the beautiful animal.

SN~SN~SN~SN~SN

A few hours later they found a motel room for the night, the cover of darkness helping them smuggle the dog inside. Motels that allowed animals were rare and Thor had learned a long time ago to be quiet, if he didn't want to sleep in the car by himself. Stretching out on the bed closest to the door, he listened to the sound of the shower from the bathroom, while watching Sam typing away on the computer.

He wished the younger brother would still be where he belonged, which was anywhere but with them. From the very time Dean took him in it didn't take him long to figure out that young man was carrying a burden around. He could sense it in the way the young man's shoulders sometimes just hung and how at times he had this sad look on his face. It took almost a year though, before Dean talked about it. They were in the Impala at the time, parked behind some trees that hid the car without taking away their view of the large buildings on the other side of the road. There were a lot of people around, most of them young. Some of them in a hurry and others just walking along, some alone and others in large groups, yet he could tell that Dean's eyes were on one person in particular; a tall, slim kid, with dark hair, who was accompanied by a slightly shorter blonde girl. It was clear that the two of them seemed to enjoy each other's company, as they were laughing and giggling and on one occasion even kissing.

"See the kid over there, Thor?" His master asked him, "That's Sam, my kid brother."

Now at first he didn't understand, because why would Dean sit here hiding, instead of going over there and talk to his brother? But then the young man continued to speak and told him about how they'd lost their mother and how their father raised them to be hunters. He also talked about their dad being devastated by what happened to their mom and sometimes forgot how to be a father. Thor had met the oldest Winchester and actually liked the man, but he could see that John was driven and not always focused on family. And then Dean told him how he'd basically raised Sam and how the younger brother was always different. How he was a genius, who could get A's in school even if he missed weeks at a time and never stayed at one for very long.

He remembered sitting up and looking closely at his master, as the pride and love Dean felt radiated off the young man with every word. At that moment the dog understood even less than before, until Dean continued and shocked him with the revelation that when their father gave Sam the choice to stay with them or go to some place called Stanford and never be welcome back home, he'd chosen the latter.

Although Dean tried to hide his emotions, Thor was able to see the gleam of tears in his eyes and hear the slight shakiness in his voice. It made him mad that this kid could leave his big brother behind and laugh and be happy, while said big brother was sitting there watching him, being devastated by the separation.

Remembering the emotions he felt at that very moment at the hurt that Sam caused his older brother, anger once again pulsed through him. It was just not fair that his master had to suffer so much and now the kid behaved like nothing ever happened. Watching the tall human get up and walk towards him with a big smile at his face, while his hand reached out to pat him on the back, Thor whipped his head around and his strong jaws closed around the young man's forearm. Holding on tightly for a moment, a surprised scream suddenly made him realize what he had done.

Releasing his grip, he felt the arm being pulled away. Although he didn't bite as hard as he could have, his teeth had still left clearly visible marks on both sides of Sam's arm, blood welling out of some of them. Looking up at the tall human he could see something written in those hazel eyes that spoke not as much of pain as of disbelief and emotional distress.

Good, maybe the kid finally got it and would leave him alone. The only problem now was that he was going to be in big trouble, because there was no doubt in his mind that Sam would rat him out to Dean.

Speaking of which, the older Winchester took that very moment to come out of the bathroom. Startled, Thor looked at him, not for a moment doubting that he had a guilty expression on his face, while Sam turned away from both him and his brother.

"What's going on here? Thor looks like he peed the bed!" Dean glared first at him then at his brother, who once again was facing him; his left sleeve, which had been pushed up, now covering his forearm.

"Naw, we've been playing and I think Thor is embarrassed he got caught enjoying himself, aren't you, boy?"

Sam's voice sounded slightly pressed, but thankfully Dean didn't seem to notice. He would have noticed the red spots appearing on the light colored shirt though, if the younger man wouldn't have retreated into the bathroom so fast.

"My turn to shower!" He said, before closing the door.

"I'll get us some food." Dean called after him, "You okay with burgers?"

"Yeah, sure!"

Dean pulled on his clothes then looked at his dog, "You coming with me?"

Still in shock over what happened; Thor looked at him for a moment and jumped off the bed, crawling beneath it.

"Guess that means no." His master chuckled, before he picked up his jacket and left.

Lying beneath the bed, the dog contemplated the events. He didn't understand what led Sam to cover for him. One thing was sure, this wasn't going to last, the kid would talk eventually.

SN~SN~SN~SN~SN

Sam was too shocked to even feel the pain, when Thor's massive jaws clamped around his right forearm. Even when he finally let out a yell, it was more one of surprise than of actual hurt. Staring at the drops welling out of some of the marks, he still tried to comprehend what had caused the big dog to bite him, when he heard the bathroom door open and Dean step up beside him.

A quick glance at Thor showed Sam the expression of guilt on the dog's face and he turned away, hurriedly pulling down his shirtsleeves.

"What's going on here? Thor looks like he peed the bed!" The older Winchester's voice held a mixture of amusement and irritation.

"Naw, we've been playing and I think Thor is embarrassed he got caught enjoying himself, aren't you, boy?"

Sam wasn't really sure why he covered for the mutt, but looking down at the red spots soaking through the fabric of his shirt, he decided he really needed to disappear, if he wanted to keep the charade up.

Making his way into the bathroom, he said, "My turn to shower!" before closing the door.

Taking off the shirt, he inspected the bite marks, deciding he might as well clean them with a shower. As he took the rest of his clothes off, he heard Dean ask something about if burgers were okay, which he answered with an absentminded, "Yeah, sure!" his mind not really being on any kind of nourishment right now. Stepping under the hot stream, he winced at the burn the water hitting the injury caused. Still, he used soap to cleanse the punctures then continued to wash himself. Only after finishing and drying off did his mind wander back to the question of why?

As Sam cleansed the area once more, this time with peroxide, and applied some antibiotic ointment and a gauze dressing, which he secured with an elastic wrap, he was still not a lot closer to the answer. One thing was sure though, he must have done something to irritate the usually not aggressive animal.

The longer he thought about it, the more it became clear that Thor never really seemed to take to him and that he should have seen the signs a lot sooner. Maybe he even did, but decided to ignore them, because he just couldn't accept the dog not liking him. Sadness wrapped around his heart with an iron clasp, as reality hit him. If his brother was to find out that Thor had bitten him, Dean would punish the dog and at worst case scenario even get rid of him, which would very likely break his heart. The younger Winchester could tell how much the mutt meant to his brother; he had been with Dean during most of the time Sam was in Stanford. There was no way he was going to come between them, even if it meant he needed to keep his distance from Thor.

SN~SN~SN~SN~SN

This event changed a lot of things. First of all it became clear to Thor that Sam Winchester really finally got it. He withdrew from the dog and no longer tried to pretend they were best friends.

Second was that his fear that the younger man was going to tell on him proved wrong. A week and two hunts and as many motel rooms later, Dean was still none the wiser. Sam made sure he wore long sleeved shirts and thankfully the weather was unusually cold for June, so that it didn't cause any suspicions.

Third and maybe most important though, was that Thor wasn't happy. He should have been ecstatic, because he'd accomplished exactly what he wanted, but all he felt was loss. He realized he missed the caressing touch and the pieces of meat the young man would sneak him underneath the table. He missed the smile and the sparkle that lit up the hazel eyes every time the overgrown human looked at him. Now there was only pain and sadness in them and they were barely looking in his direction anymore.

Could he have been wrong and Sam wasn't really that bad? No, there was absolutely no way he could be! He just felt guilty, because he knew he wasn't supposed to bite, and the day would come when Sam was going to use it against him, he was sure of it.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks for all the reviews, alerts and favoring, I'm so happy right now. Here is part 2, just as promised. Hugs, Vonnie

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><p>Thor – Dog of Thunder<p>

Part 2

Sam found them another job; this one was a good eight hours drive away, which meant they would have to be in the car all day. This was clearly not Thor's idea of fun, yet Dean's awesomeness made it as easy as possible on him. His master always made sure he had at least two, maybe three breaks during which he could run to his heart's desire.

They were on their second break. Dean drove the Impala a mile down a gravel road into a wooded area and stopped at the side of the road. Thor was ready to jump out the moment the door was opened for him. He barely heard the older Winchester call after him, "Don't run too far, we need to get back on the road shortly" before disappearing in between the trees.

After a bit he stopped and started to sniff out the trees and bushes, lifting his leg on several of them, before leisurely making his way back toward the car. He could see Dean half-hidden beneath the raised hood. He was probably checking the fluids, he always made sure the car was in top condition, treated it almost like it was a living being. Sam was standing beside him, holding a half-empty water bottle. He was talking to his brother, but kept a close eye on their environment while doing so. As soon as he saw the large dog approaching a smile appeared on his face, yet there was also weariness visible in his eyes.

Good! If Thor could have, he would have put a satisfied grin on his face, yet being limited; he just lifted his head and held it high while crossing the road. The roaring of an engine brought him back to reality. Turning his head toward the noise he froze at the sight of a pickup truck racing his way. He knew he needed to get away, yet for some reason he couldn't move a muscle and for a moment he looked directly at the driver.

Just when he thought he was going to be smashed to pieces, he felt something impact with his body, pushing him into the clear and making him land on his side. There was a loud thump and something large got thrown through the air, landing on the other side of the road as the truck sped by without slowing down.

SN~SN~SN~SN~SN

Getting out of the car and turning, Sam caught a glance of Thor disappearing between the trees. He could understand the dog's excitement over being able to run, as he too felt stiff from sitting cooped up in the confined space for several hours. Lifting his arms over his heads, he stretched then walked to the trunk. Opening it, he raised the lid of the cooler and retrieved a couple of water bottles from it.

"Don't close it, I need a few tools." The older Winchester prevented him from slamming the trunk shut, "I heard a slight rattle, better check it out."

He reached in and picked the tools he needed, before returning to the front end and lifting the hood. By the time Sam joined him, his entire upper body had disappeared beneath the hood.

"You want some water?" Sam offered.

"Later, I think I found the problem, nothing major, just a couple loose screws." Dean explained, "Could turn into something bigger if I don't tighten them now."

The younger man put one of the bottles on the frame before unscrewing his own and draining half of it. Standing by, he watched his brother work, yet never lost track of his surroundings.

"So what'd you think about that job in New Mexico? You think there is something to the reported Chubracabra sightings?"

Dean answered without looking up from his work, "You did the research, but from what you told me, it's possible. I've never come across one, but dad has and what he wrote in his journal matches a lot of the reports."

"Yeah, that's what I thought too !" Sam's gaze was drawn to a noise on the other side of the gravel road.

Watching Thor stroll out of the wooded area, he smiled at the clearly happy animal. Once again he wished he could gain the trust and love of their fierce, yet playful companion. Lifting his head up high, the dog started to cross the road at a lazy pace, when a roaring noise called the younger Winchester's attention to a vehicle racing toward his location at an extremely high speed. It was clear that Thor heard the noise too, as his head moved and he now stared directly at what turned out to be a blue low-sitting pick up. Yet instead of moving, the dog seemed to be frozen to the spot.

There was really no thought to Sam's action, as he started to move towards the animal; in the end he didn't even think he would make it, yet he had to try at least. And somehow he seemed to be able to run faster than he would have ever thought, because at the very last moment he reached his destination and with a final effort threw himself forward, his outstretched arms pushing with a power born of desperation and moving the animal out of the path of destruction. His own body was a different story though, as he more heard than felt his impact with the front of the hood, before he was thrown into the air. For a moment he felt only the velocity of flight, before he was slammed onto the ground, his senses leaving him before his body had come fully to rest on the gravel.

SN~SN~SN~SN~SN

Struggling to get up and still trying to piece together what just happened, he heard a piercing scream coming from Dean.

"Saaaaaammm…."

As he finally made it back onto his four legs he took in the scene before him. Obviously the body flying through the air had been that of Sam, who was now lying in a heap on the side of the road. Like in slow motion Thor watched the older Winchester run toward his brother, sliding the last part on his knees without minding the gravel.

His hands slid over the body, hovering over Sam's neck for a second before gently pressing down. The dog could see a change in Dean's expression, so subtle that it was hardly noticeable but enough to tell him that Sam was alive. He watched as the older man continued his assessment before fishing his cell phone out of his pocket and punching in a few numbers. Thor wanted to listen to what his master was saying, yet for some reason his focus was drawn to the downed Winchester.

Standing there, looking at the motionless body, it suddenly dawned on him what really happened here. He knew that the pickup hit Sam instead of him, but even though he remembered being pushed, heck he felt the soreness the forceful blow left in his side, the reality of the events started to set in only now. Sam risked his own life to save Thor's!

For a moment his legs felt weak and he thought he was going to fall, recovering only at the last second. He took in the broken body, the strange angle of one of the legs and the blood covering most of Sam's face, but worst of all the almost complete stillness of the usually always active young man.

This could have been, by all rights should have been him, yet instead he was standing there pretty much unscathed, while the kid had taken the fall. He treated Sam like scum, even bit him and still… It seemed unreal and without a doubt he knew that he would have to rethink his opinion of the youngest Winchester.

SN~SN~SN~SN~SN

The events of the next few hours went by in one big blur. If someone would have asked Thor about it later, that is if he could talk in the first place, he would have to confess that there wasn't any clear memory in his mind. There was an ambulance and Dean opening the door to the Impala. He thought he climbed in and so did his master, but the only reason that he knew he actually did was because he was now sitting in the car in a parking lot in front of this big building that said St. Luke's Medical Center on it. Dean was gone and the dog was certain he was in said building, probably checking on Sam. He wondered why the older Winchester didn't just leave him at the scene of the accident. He wouldn't blame him; after all it was his fault Dean's brother got hurt.

Sitting in the car, thankful that Dean had rolled all the windows down, another fact that surprised him, as the human couldn't have been any more level headed than him; he had enough time to contemplate what had happened.

Leaning against the passenger side door, his head propped on top of it, he looked longingly at the building, wishing that somehow he could see through the walls and find out what was going on with Sam. He felt an uproar inside him that he didn't remember ever feeling before, not even when his first owners were killed. It was a strange sensation and for a while he tried to determine what it meant. Maybe it was guilt over having caused the accident or fear that Dean would no longer want him because of it? The longer he thought about it, the more he became sure that although both of those might factor in, it was in reality the fear of losing Sam that made him feel this way. It almost felt like something inside was going to explode, because it hurt so badly and yet it was clearly not a physical pain and it didn't get any better the longer he waited, either.

Finally unable to wait anymore, he jumped out of the car. He was aware that leaving the Impala with the windows down was not a good choice and he might come to regret it, should someone take advantage of it, yet his need to find out how his master's brother was fairing outweighed the fear of what might happen to the car. He knew he'd been waiting for a long time; day had given way to night and now he could spot streaks of light appearing on the horizon, and Dean still not having returned couldn't mean anything good. No, his mind was made up; he had to find out what was going on.

Although he had never been in one of those buildings before, he was fairly certain that they were only for humans and dogs would not be welcomed, which meant he needed to find a way to get in and find Dean without anyone noticing him. Looking around he spotted something that looked like a big garage door going up and an ambulance driving in. Using the opportunity he slipped in behind it just before the door closed again. Watching the ambulance come to a stop and the backdoors open, just as several people rushed towards it through some automatic sliding doors, he slipped behind another emergency vehicle that was standing there, seemingly abandoned. From his vantage point he watched until everyone disappeared inside then waited for another few moments, before making his way through the same sliding doors.

The hallway, lined by rooms that had glass walls and doors and most of which had curtains pulled so he couldn't see inside, was empty. Most of the activity came out of two of the rooms, while the other ones were dark and quiet. If he could get close enough to those rooms, he might be able to find out if Sam was in one of them and Dean with him. Making his way toward the first, he stopped and listened, disappointed that he couldn't hear a familiar voice and that the strong scent of disinfectant impeded his usually so sharp sense of smell.

Suddenly the curtain was drawn open and it was at the last moment that he was able to disappear into the next room, which was dark and unoccupied. Thankfully no one looked into his direction or they might have been able to distinguish his light colored fur even in the darkness, instead he could see the two men, who belonged to the ambulance pushing a gurney out and towards the bay area.

For a second Thor almost shivered. This was too close; if he wanted to find Dean and Sam he needed to be more careful. Waiting until the curtain was drawn closed again, he made his way towards the other room, grateful that although the curtain there was shut too, it left a wide enough gap for him to see inside. The person lying on what looked like a very narrow bed was female and although he couldn't see the faces of the other people he could tell by their clothing that they belonged to the hospital. Disappointed, he made his way to the end of the hall, not sure what to do when he got there, when he picked up a familiar scent. It was faint, but even with all the disturbing smells around him, it very clearly belonged to Dean.

Moving his nose around, he realized it came from the wall. His master must have leaned against it several hours ago. Encouraged, he sniffed at the double doors, again picking up the older Winchester on them. Pushing, it took all he had to open them, as the doors didn't want to budge easily. When he did, they actually swung open all the way and he was glad that no one was on the other side, who might have thrown him out. The hallway he was in now went in two directions – to the left and straight ahead. For a moment he stood and sniffed, before letting his nose guide him to the left. He wasn't certain, but hoped he would pick up a stronger scent as he went. Halfway down and almost ready to turn around, he found it, this time much stronger and coming from behind a half open door.

Moving inside, he found Dean standing with his back to him, staring out of the window at the approaching dawn. Beside him was an older man, whose hand right now was resting on Dean's shoulder and who was quietly talking to him. He seemed familiar and as he turned his head a little, Thor realized that it was Bobby Singer. How did he get here so fast?

SN~SN~SN~SN~SN

After hiding behind the long vinyl couch, which seemed to stand there just to help him to become invisible, he listened to what the two men were talking about. He knew it was silly, yet somehow he wasn't quite ready to face Dean. Not for the first time he was grateful for his outstanding sense of hearing, as Bobby's voice was hardly above a whisper.

"…you anything before they took him to surgery?" It was clear he'd missed the first part of the sentence, but it didn't take much imagination to know what it had been.

"Not much, just that it didn't look good." Dean sighed, "It's not like I didn't figure that out by that time already. It took them several hours to stabilize him enough to get him into surgery." He wiped his sleeve over his eyes and took a deep breath to steady his voice before continuing, "It's been six hours now…" His voice trailed off as he once again stared out of the window, almost breaking Thor's heart.

"Sam is as tough as they come; don't give up on him just yet!" Bobby tried to sound confident, yet even if Dean might have not been able to tell, the dog was sure he heard the doubt in it.

Fear pulsed through the animal; he had known it was serious, but this sounded much worse.

Before the older Winchester could answer a dark-skinned man with short, curly hair that was almost completely white entered the room. He wore green scrubs and by the way Dean's face lost all its color, Thor had no doubt that this had to be Sam's doctor.

"Mr. Sandell, your brother made it through surgery!" The man announced without delay, obviously reading the other's reaction.

A bit of tension left the older brother's posture, yet he wasn't fooled into thinking there wasn't a 'but' to follow. Exchanging a glance with his fatherly friend, he braced himself for what was yet to come.

"Most of the injuries were to his right side, which was where the truck hit him. He fractured several ribs and was lucky that none of them punctured his lung. He still has a pneumo thorax on that side, but we were able to correct it with a chest tube, which will stay in place for a few days. What caused the worst trouble was a laceration to his liver. There was extensive bleeding into his abdomen and we weren't able to fix it, so we had to remove a part of the organ and…"

"Wait…" Dean interrupted, once again all blood draining from his face, "…how can he live without his liver?"

"No, you misunderstood; we didn't remove his liver, just the part that was injured." The surgeon explained in a fatherly tone, "The liver is an amazing organ and after he heals, Sam won't even miss the piece we took out."

He waited for a moment, making sure his explanation sunk in, before he continued, "His hip was shattered and Dr. Saul, our orthopedic surgeon, found it easier to replace the whole joint than trying to fix it. He wanted to talk to you personally to explain things, but had to go in for another emergency surgery, so he asked me to do it for him."

"You mean my brother has one of those artificial hips like they put into old people."

There actually was a smile on the doctor's face when he said, "If you want to put it like this, then yes, but they really have made a lot of advances in the last few years with those things. Trying to fix Sam's hip would have taken a very long time and months of healing afterwards. This way he will be up and around in no time, although he will have to use crutches for some time to come. And they hold up for much longer than they used to, about an average of twenty years, at which time they simply get replaced again."

Twenty years sounded like a long time, but when one thought about that Sam was only 22 now, then that would mean… No, Thor wasn't going to go there and it was clear neither was Dean.

"Guess it was the right thing to do then!" He said, his voice expressing some of the doubt he wasn't willing to admit to.

"I assure you, under the circumstances it was the only thing to do. It really will speed up his recovery time and he wouldn't have done staying in surgery any longer. The other option would have been to wait until he was more stable, but the way the hip was shattered that could have caused multiple complications."

Dean nodded, understanding that they had done what was best for his brother, yet there was one more question that he needed answered.

"What about his head?" He questioned, remembering the way Sam had been lying on the ground, blood flowing from a laceration on the side of his head and giving no response, even when he was moved onto the stretcher.

"He has a severe concussion and there is some swelling to his brain, but the scans showed no bleeding. He is deeply unconscious but we are hoping that as soon as the anesthetic wears off, we will be seeing signs of him coming out of it."

For the first time the doctor didn't sound as sure of himself as with all the other explanations and the fact didn't go past Thor's fine senses. Taking a quick look at Dean and Bobby though, he was satisfied that neither of them seemed to have picked up on it though. The last thing his master needed right now was doubt in his brother's recovery.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Thank you so much for all the alerts and favorites and reviews. You guys are wonderful! Here is the last chapter. Hope you'll enjoy! Hugs, Vonnie

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><p>Thor – Dog of Thunder<p>

Part 3

Thor tried to stretch in the confined space of the small closet he was hiding in. He'd been here for hours, as the room it belonged to was currently occupied by Sam. Looking through the slightly open closet door, he could see that Dean hadn't change positions since he'd looked last. The young man was still sitting on a chair, his elbows propped up on the bed and his arms up, while his chin rested on top of his crossed hands. His eyes seemed permanently fixed upon the battered body lying motionless in the bed.

The dog never saw a human hooked up to so many machines before and he felt frightened and confused by the wires running from Sam's body to a monitor that had numbers and ever moving up and down lines scrolling across it, and even more by the thin tubes attached to fluid-filled bags, which on their way to his body ran through cases that were lit with numbers. Another tube was looping underneath and around his nose, coming together under his chin and from there going to some strange contraption fastened to the wall.

Thor let out a sigh, overwhelmed by the sight and even more so by the intensity of the smells that attacked his senses. Even now, after being exposed to them for several hours, he still wasn't used to them and it wasn't so much the stinging scent of the disinfectants that irritated him, as it was the one of blood and some other odor he knew came from Sam and told him that the kid's body chemistry was seriously messed up. This really worried him and did not help his feelings of guilt in the least. If there only was something he could do to make it better.

"I'm gonna get us some breakfast, what do ya want?" He'd almost forgotten about Bobby, who was sitting in a recliner on the other side of the bed.

"Just coffee is fine!" Dean sat up and stretched.

"Boy, you're not doing your brother any good by not eating." The older man scolded.

"I know, but I just can't stomach anything right now, not until I know that Sammy's gonna be alright!" The young man's gaze never left his brother.

Shrugging his shoulders in defeat, the salvage man walked towards the door, when a "Oh no…" made him turn in his tracks. Fully expecting to see a change in the youngest Winchester's condition, he was surprised when all he saw was Dean having risen to his feet and wearing a distressed expression.

"Thor…, I forgot about him. He's been sitting in the car ever since we got here yesterday!"

Bobby smiled, at least this was something he could help with, "I'll take care of him, don't worry!"

Knowing that Dean would be worried should Bobby go to the Impala and not find him there, Thor decided it was time to leave his hiding place, even though he knew it would mean he would be banned from the room. Pushing the door open with his left paw, he took a few steps out of the closet, letting out a quiet 'woof' to alert the two men to his presence.

"Thor?" For the first time since the accident there was a small smirk on Dean's face, "Should have known you wouldn't stay in the car. How in the world did you manage to sneak by the nurses?"

'You have no idea how hard it was!' The boxer mix cocked his head, wishing he somehow could relay his thoughts to his master.

"Never mind, it doesn't matter how you got in here. What matters is that you won't get caught."

Now that he was discovered, he walked up to the bed and jumping up, he put his front paws on it, mindful as to not disturb any of the tubing. He'd hurt Sam enough without doing any further damage. Licking the young man's hand, he whimpered in disappointment that there was no response. In all honesty, it was more than he'd dared to expect anyway; after all why would the kid respond to him, after all he'd done to him.

Suddenly he felt a hand on his back, "I know how you feel. I wish he'd wake up too."

Thor turned his head, his eyes filled with sadness as he looked at Dean, and as the human went on speaking it was almost like he could read his mind, "I'm not mad at you for what happened. It's not your fault. I just wish I could get my hands on the driver of that damn pickup, the guy didn't even try to slow down." Anger was coming from every pore of the older Winchester and the dog was glad it wasn't directed at him. Although he knew it wouldn't diminish his guilt, he swore he would do everything he could to find said driver, it was the least he could do to make up for what he caused. Right now though he needed to know Sam would come through this first.

Sliding his tongue over the younger man's hand once more, he stopped in mid lick, his nose twitching as he picked up a change.

"Sammy… come on little brother, open your eyes!"

Knowing that Dean couldn't have picked up the change in Sam's heartbeat nor on the minor difference in the scent radiating off the unconscious young man, Thor was surprised by the words of encouragement. There had to be a connection between the brothers that he never noticed before, because only now was there a slight flutter of dark lashes against pale skin. A turn of the head toward the voice of the elder brother followed by a groan was next, previous to lids moving up and down a few times, before closing again.

"No, no, no, you've been sleeping long enough; it's time to wake up!" Although gentle, Dean's voice held a certain amount of authority.

To Thor's amazement it worked, as the hazels opened and this time stayed open. Too embarrassed to be in Sam's field of vision, he slid down and crouched on the floor.

"D'n…"

"Yep, it's me!" There was a bright smile on the older Winchester's face, leaving no doubt how much his baby brother meant to him.

"You 'kay?"

Bobby snorted upon hearing the question; it was almost unbelievable, yet still so typical for either one of those boys to almost get killed and worry more about the other's wellbeing.

"I'm not the one who lost a fight with a pickup!" Dean laughed, although it sounded a little pressed as he remembered how close he had come to losing Sam.

"Pickup…" Something like a memory flashed across Sam's face, his eyes darting back and forth as though searching for something, before they closed and he grimaced, a grunt of pain escaping him.

"Breath through it…" His brother coached.

"No… where…Thor…, need to…"

The urgency written on the youngest Winchester's face and the distress with which he pushed out his name, while his head continued to move in every direction like he was looking for the pet, pierced through Thor with the force of an arrow. Driven by the need to comfort the kid, he stood and moved closer to the bed again just as he heard his master reassuring the injured young man, "You saved him, he's right here!"

Feeling Dean's hands on him, he was picked up and held into Sam's line of vision. Any other time he would have struggled against the treatment, but instinctively knowing what his master was trying to do, he held still, watching in amazement, how Sam's movements ceased almost instantly.

"See, he's fine, thanks to you." Dean soothed, "The next time just try to be more careful, when you do stuff like this!"

"Was worth it, he's okay…" The younger man's voice trailed off, as his eyes slid shut again.

Putting Thor down again, Dean looked at his dog, "You better get back in the closet for now. I need to let them know Sammy woke up and I don't think it's a good idea for anyone to see you!"

Cocking his head in agreement, Thor turned and walked back into his hiding place, allowing the older Winchester to close the door all but a slit. Right now he needed some time to think about the mystery that was named Sam Winchester.

SN~SN~SN~SN~SN

It took two weeks until Sam was finally released, a time during which Thor didn't get to see much of his savior. After spending another day in intensive care the young man had been transferred to a trauma unit, which was located on the third floor, making it all but impossible to smuggle the large animal into his room. As Dean spent most of his time in the hospital, something that didn't really surprise the boxer mix; he was left in Bobby's care. The fact that the grizzled hunter turned out to have a really soft spot for him lessened his anxiety just a bit over missing his master and not being able to see for himself that Sam was doing okay. Still he was glad when the day came, when he Dean finally brought the young man home.

Home, at least for right now, was a small ground level apartment, which Bobby rented just a couple days ago. The older hunter had taking him on the search, checking out at least five other places and dismissing them as not suitable for someone with Sam's injuries. Almost at the point of giving up, they had finally found this place. It was a little small and although only furnished with the necessities, it appeared almost cluttered. It would do though, at least for the few months it would take for the youngest Winchester to get back on his feet.

Thor panted anxiously as the door opened and Dean entered. Standing slightly to the right, the older Winchester watched his brother make his way into the room, hovering like a hen over her chick, yet making no move to help. When Sam was finally within his view, the boxer mix could see the reason for his behavior. Moving slowly, as the short walk from the car clearly exhausted the young man, beads of perspiration visible on his forehead and leaning heavily on his crutches, he also wore an expression that spoke of determination. There was no doubt that this kid was his master's brother, he very obviously had the same stubborn fortitude, maybe even more so, that Dean possessed - a Winchester in every way.

This was his boy. Thor smiled; he couldn't believe that only a short time ago he didn't want anything to do with Sam and now he felt all possessive and proud about him. It made him sad that he had been so wrong about the human, when it usually was so easy for him to judge people. His only saving grace was that he had been so protective toward his master that he couldn't see beyond the obvious hurt the younger man had caused Dean. Come to think of it, he still didn't understand, but now he saw Sam in a different light and whatever his reasons had been, he clearly didn't mean to hurt his brother.

"Why don't you sit over there?" Bobby's voice pulled him out of his reverie, "That chair is probably the most comfortable piece of furniture in here."

Letting himself down in the chair, Sam let out a breath of relief, he thought he was ready for this, but he clearly had overdone it a bit today. Anxious to leave the hospital, he had gotten up and dressed in the clothes Dean had brought the previous night, before the older man had gotten back from his breakfast run. After that the physical therapist had gone with him over the exercises he was to do several times a day at home, besides the three times a week sessions he had to go to at the outpatient clinic. All in all, he discovered now that it had taken more out of him than he expected. So he wasn't complaining about the tiny apartment; any bigger and he might have had to ask Dean for help.

Closing his eyes for just a minute, he didn't realize he must have dozed off until Dean's anxious voice woke him.

"Sammy…"

"Wha…what?" Trying to clear his mind, he noted something like fear written in his brother's green orbs.

"You okay?"

"What…yeah, fine, just tired I guess." Seeing how the expression on the other man's face changed to one of relief, he figured it would be best to be honest, "I think I overdid it a bit today!" He confessed sheepishly.

"Yeah well, why don't you rest here for a bit and then I'll help you lie down? It's just a few steps into the bedroom."

"Sounds good, just give me a few minutes, I'll be able to make it then." Sam yawned, mumbling something else under his breath, his head already relaxing against the high back of the chair.

The next thing he knew was something wet swiping across his face, making him aware of the fact that he must have dozed off. Startled by the wetness and fully expecting to open his eyes to find his brother with a wash cloth in his hand, he was surprised to see Thor in front of him. The dog's front legs were perched up on one of the armrests of his resting place, his face, tongue still hanging out, only inches from Sam's, leaving no doubt what swiped across his cheek just a second ago.

"Wha…Thor, yak…!" The young man exclaimed, as the large animal panted and wagged his tail joyfully.

"I think he is telling you that you should lie down before you get all still in the chair here!" Dean smirked.

Sam groaned and held his ribs, while struggling to lean forward to reach his crutches which were lying on the carpet. Before Dean could respond, Thor jumped forward and grabbed one of the crutches with his teeth, bringing it close enough for the younger Winchester to take it from him, before repeating the act with the other one then sitting back expectantly.

"Thanks, Thor!" He petted the animal's head.

Adjusting his grips, he fought his way to standing, waiting for a moment before walking towards his brother, who was opening the door to what he assumed, was the bedroom. He didn't have to look to know that his helper was right beside him, watching his every move as if to make sure he wasn't going to fall. And as tired and sore as he was, Sam couldn't help but enjoy the feeling of having finally conquered the heart of the dog of thunder.

SN~SN~SN~SN~SN

Although he was in considerable pain for the first few weeks and the therapy session took all he had to give and sometimes it even seemed like more than that, Sam couldn't help but enjoy the next two months. Nothing could undo what happened to Jess and even Bobby's presence couldn't make him forget the fact that their father was still missing, yet staying in one place, no matter how small that place was, being with his Dean and not hunting, it was almost like the life he always wanted.

And then there was Thor – the mixed breed hardly left his side, even went to therapy with him. It was almost like the animal had found his purpose in making sure the younger Winchester got what he needed.

Now that Sam was down to using a cane instead of two crutches and took frequent, if still short walks, Thor was always close by, pushing out of the way anything that might have tripped the young man before it could cause problems.

It was clear that Sam enjoyed the devotion the pet showed. Even Dean, who never let his brother go without him, was amazed by the bond that had formed between the two in the last few months. It wasn't like the older Winchester didn't notice the tension in their relationship before. No, really he had seen it from the very beginning, how Sam had tried to win the animal over and how Thor in turn had refused any of those attempts. It hadn't passed him either that his brother's attempts had suddenly ceased, although he never quite figured out what had happened, just like he had never understood why his canine friend had refused the friendship in the first place. Still, there never had been a doubt in his mind that it was just a matter of time until this would change.

Dean Winchester wasn't stupid either, he could see that the change had been born out of guilt on Thor's side, yet by now there was no doubt that there was genuine love there and it made the older man smile. Dog or human, Sam would win them all over eventually.

SN~SN~SN~SN~SN

Thor was excited. Sam was getting better and the walks they took were getting longer with each passing day. He enjoyed his 'job' as the younger man's self-appointed protector immensely and it still amazed him how much trust he received in return. Walking ahead like always to clear the way, he listened to the friendly banter between his two masters, without ever losing track of what was going on around him. The slamming of a door made him look to the right, where a middle-aged man stepped off the porch in front of a two story home. Sensing something familiar, yet not in a comforting way, the canine's ears went up and he stopped. The hairs along his neck rose and he let out a warning growl.

"Settle down Thor, the guy isn't going to hurt you!" He heard Dean's voice trying to placate him.

Ignoring his master, the transformation that followed as recognition struck him was as sudden as it was complete. Where just a second ago was a dutiful loving pet, stood now a fierce, snarling attack dog who clearly was ready to kill if he had to.

"Wha…what's wrong with your dog? K…Keep h…him a…away from me," The man stammered as he backed up, resulting only in Thor drawing forward the same amount of steps.

"Thor, stand down!" Dean ordered, yet instead of receiving the hoped for response, the large animal jumped forward another few paces.

"What's wrong with you?" The older Winchester reached down and pulled the large mixed breed back by his collar, resulting in his front paws leaving the ground, as he refused to be dragged away and his barking turning into a coughing fit as his air supply was restricted.

"I'm sorry for that", Dean apologized to the man, "I have no idea what's gotten into him!"

He turned, yanking the boxer mix with him until they both faced Sam, who was leaning heavily against his cane, all color drained from his face as he stared at the vehicle the stranger was now walking towards.

Recognizing the blue truck instantly, Dean lost his hold on Thor, who took the opportunity to charge the man, taking him down as he jumped him. Pinned down on his belly, desperately attempting to free himself of the large animal lying on his back, the guy looked almost comical. If the older hunter hadn't been so upset, he would have laughed at the picture. Instead he pulled his cell out and dialed 911, the only thing he could do to prevent himself from kicking the living daylights out of the guy who'd almost killed his little brother.

SN~SN~SN~SN~SN

After the police arrived it took both Winchesters several minutes to convince Thor to let go of the man. Clearly scared out of his wits, the guy didn't even try to deny that he had been the one who had run down Sam, which was a good thing, as the damage the hit-and-run had caused to the truck had been repaired by now. Another 15 minutes went by to take some preliminary statements and a promise from both of them to come to the station later to make things official. Even the walk back to their apartment took longer, as Sam was visibly shaken, although he denied it in usual Winchester fashion. The only thing that was almost instant was the transformation of Thor back into the easygoing pet he always was.

Looking at the way the animal nudged Sam's hand from time to time and trotted by him, it seemed almost impossible that this was the same snarling monster that had taken down a good-sized man just a short time before. Only the way the well-defined muscled moved underneath the shiny short-coated skin indicated the power that was hidden there. Guiding his two masters home, Thor wasn't completely satisfied with the day and his accomplishments until Sam was sitting in the recliner in the living room and Dean was by his side on the couch, propping his feet up on the coffee table and taking a deep pull from the beer he obtained from the fridge.

"You did good today!" Dean stated, scratching the animal behind his ears.

The dog looked at him then moved closer to the younger man, gazing at him expectantly. He wasn't disappointed, as Sam reached out and petted his head.

"You did more than just good, boy. Thanks for catching the guy!"

Well, he didn't have to say it, because he owed Sam at least that much for saving his life, but it still felt great to hear it. Thor leaned his head into the large hand, his brown eyes locking with the hazels of the youngest Winchester.

There was a moment of silence between them, before Sam whispered, "No need to thank me, buddy, I would do it again in a heartbeat!"

**The End.**

* * *

><p><strong>Prompt by Anonymous - <strong>After Sam left for Stanford, Dean got lonely and so he got a pet puppy. The puppy loves his master and is very possessive of him, so much that he got jealous of Sam when Sam joins them in search for their father. Sam adores the puppy and is always petting him and giving him treats even though the pup always growls at Sam and pees on his socks and boots. The puppy can't accept the fact that his master, Dean, loves another human and that he has to share his time and love with that tall human, who is his master's little brother. He continues to stay mad at Sam and even bites him one time when Sam tries to pet him. He expects Sam to rat him out to his master but nothing of that sort happens but he feels Sam slowly distancing himself from the pup (obviously getting the memo finally).The puppy thinks that he would be happy now that Sam is not petting him coz he hates Sam but he ends up missing his owner's little brother more than ever and feels guilty about biting his hand like that. One day while trying to follow Dean across the street, the puppy finds a car coming towards him rapidly n he freezes. he least expects to find himself thrown out of the way and turns back to see Sam hit by the mad car. Sam remains unconscious for hours while they rush him to the hospital to fix his broken leg and check him over. The pup's scared to death at the thought of losing Sam and doesn't leave his side the whole time Sam recovers at Bobby's. He curls himself on Sam's side licking his hand n face, apologizing in his own puppy-way.


End file.
